Road of the Gypsy
by SaffronAngel
Summary: When Cordy wakes up from her three year coma, is she ok?
1. Chapter 1: Cordy's awake

DISCLAIMER: There is very little here that is mine. The characters are owned by Joss Whedon (Buffy and Angel), Gregory Widen (Highlander), and Christine Feehan ( the Carpathians). I'm only borrowing them for a little while.  
  
SUMMARY: The plot is a bit complicated but the basic gist is that the prophecy couldn't seem to make up it's mind which of the vampires deserved to Shanshu more so they both did. Kind of. They both became Carpathians. (If you don't know what Carpathians are, check out www.christinefeehan.com. That's the site for the author that put the characters together.)  
  
SPOILERS: Everything up to current points in all involved series. With a few adjustments to make things fit.  
  
**********  
  
6 MONTHS AGO  
  
The nurse was checking on Cordelia when the young woman opened her eyes for the first time in three years. The room had been dark for all of those three years against the hope that she might wake up.  
  
When Cordy had been brought in, the staff had been given specific instructions as to her care. They were always very careful with her. It was part of the price that the senior partners were willing to pay to keep Angel from mucking up their plans too badly.  
  
Cordelia blinked rapidly a few times, trying to accustom herself to having her eyes open again. "Wh- wh - where am I?" She swallowed and tried again. "Where am I?"  
  
This time, the nurse heard her and turned on a very soft light at the head of the bed. "Ms. Chase! You woke up!" She quickly checked Cordy's vitals and pressed the call button.  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"Call Mr. Angel immediately. Ms. Chase is awake. And call Dr. Daratrazanoff. She'll want to examine Ms. Chase."  
  
"Of course."  
  
"Just relax, Ms. Chase. I'm sure Mr. Angel will rush right over to see you."  
  
Suddenly, Cordy's eyes went wide and tears began to fall. "Oh my god! I killed Lilah!"  
  
  
  
ANGEL'S OFFICE  
  
Harmony picked up the phone. "Mr Angel's office. How can I help you?"  
  
"This is Nurse Daniels at the clinic. I was told to inform Mr. Angel that Ms. Chase has woken up."  
  
Harmony felt tears well up in her eyes. Cordy was awake! "Thank you. If you'll hold for a moment, I'll connect you to Mr. Angel."  
  
She put the nurse on hold and actually went to the door of Angel's office. She opened the door just a bit to see Angel sitting behind his desk and Spike, Wes, Fred, and Gunn sitting in front of it. "Boss?"  
  
"What is it, Harmony?" Angel was a little upset that she had interrupted him. At least, until he glanced up and saw the tears streaming down her face. "What's wrong?"  
  
"You have a call on line one. It's the clinic." She found she couldn't say anything more. She turned away from the door and went back to her desk, not even thinking about the fact that she hadn't told Angel that it was good news.  
  
Giving Wes a frightened glance, Angel's shaking hand picked up the phone. "This is Angel. How can I help you?"  
  
"Mr. Angel, this is Nurse Daniels at the clinic. I have some good news. Ms. Chase is awake. The doctor is on her way in to see her now. To see if there are any negative side effects."  
  
"I'll be there in about ten minutes." He stood up as he hung up the phone, tears running down his face. "Who wants to go with me to see Cordy. She's awake."  
  
Everyone followed Angel out the door except Spike. He stayed sitting in his chair for a few minutes after everyone else left.  
  
"Bloody hell. Now I have to deal with the brooding Poof and the cheerleader." He sat back in the chair and put his hands behind his head. 


	2. Chapter 2: A little more background

DISCLAIMER: There is very little here that is mine. The characters are owned by Joss Whedon (Buffy and Angel), Gregory Widen (Highlander), and Christine Feehan ( the Carpathians). I'm only borrowing them for a little while.  
  
SUMMARY: The plot is a bit complicated but the basic gist is that the prophecy couldn't seem to make up it's mind which of the vampires deserved to Shanshu more so they both did. Kind of. They both became Carpathians. (If you don't know what Carpathians are, check out www.christinefeehan.com. That's the site for the author that put the characters together.)  
  
SPOILERS: Everything up to current points in all involved series. With a few adjustments to make things fit.  
  
**********  
  
Francesca Daratranzanoff was seated next to Cordelia when Angel burst into her room. "Good evening, Mr. Angel. I had a feeling you would be showing up here about now." She smiled at the creature standing in the doorway, staring dumbfounded at the young woman on the bed.  
  
"Is she okay?" He slowly walked to the opposite side of the bed from the healer. She gave him a strange feeling. But she had come highly recommended. And apparently the rumors about her were true. She could work miracles.  
  
"I'm fine, Angel. Except the fact that I remember killing Lilah. Angel, I killed her." Cordy's tears tore at Angel's heart. The look on her face spoke volumes about what she felt about having killed Lilah, evil though she had been.  
  
"Cordy, that wasn't you. That was Jasmine working through you. YOU didn't kill her."  
  
Cordy was crying harder. Francesca left the room. The emotional level in the little hospital room was getting a bit oppressive for her. *Francesca, love, come home. Let me help you relax.*  
  
Francesca smiled. She knew exactly what kind of relaxation her lifemate had in mind for her. She also knew that she had to be available in case she was still needed for Cordelia's care.  
  
That girl had a strong psychic talent. Even before the half-demon part. *Could she be a lifemate to one of ours? She is a strong psychic. Why would we be placed in her life at this point?*  
  
*Maybe. Come home, love. Tamara is almost awake. She wants her mother.*  
  
Francesca smiled a little more and slipped away from the lights of the hospital before shifting into the form of an owl and flying toward home.  
  
  
  
"Cordy, please don't blame yourself. It wasn't exactly you that was doing all those things."  
  
Cordy was crying uncontrollably and trying to apologize for everything Jasmine had done through her. Fred was sitting on one side of her and crying too. Wes was telling her that it wasn't her fault. Gunn just stood by the door and shifted from one foot to the other. He had never been comfortable with high emotional situations.  
  
Angel was holding one of Cordy's hands and trying to soothe her. His heart was breaking at the amount of pain she was in. "I let Angelus out. I tried to keep them from putting your soul back," she sobbed.  
  
"Tell us what you remember of the day that the jar went missing," Wesley prompted.  
  
"I remember everything as though I was watching it on tv. It was like I had no control over my body. I watched as I walked into the office and opened the safe. I pulled the jar out of the safe and then it was gone. I guess I had sent it to my room because that was where it was when I went up there after the confrontation in the basement." She turned her crying face toward Fred. "Fred, I'm so sorry. I almost got you killed. Angelus could have killed you."  
  
Fred grabbed Cordy's hand and wrapped both of hers around it. "Not you, Cordy. Not you. You didn't do it." Fred looked like she was about to start crying herself. Wes hurried to her side and wrapped his arms around her. She turned her head into his chest and let the tears fall. "It wasn't you, Cordy. I could never blame you for anything."  
  
The five of them tried to comfort each other for hours. Eventually, Angel and the rest had to leave to let Cordy get a little more rest. Orders from Dr. Daratranzanoff, they were told. She was to remain in the clinic for at least another two or three days. She had to regain her strength after all.  
  
  
  
Angel spent most of the time that Cordy remained in the clinic beside her, helping her deal with her guilty feelings over what happened. It wasn't easy and wouldn't be over until she gave in to his insistence that it wasn't her fault. That Jasmine had been controlling her at the time.  
  
Fred, Wes and Gunn visited frequently and so did Lorne who had recently reopened Caritas. He realized that he was most at home in his club and helping people to find their paths. He was much more relaxed and able to deal with things at Wolfram and Hart.  
  
**********  
  
Then came the day when SHE walked into Caritas. She was beautiful. She looked to be about 25 or so and had jet black hair and sapphire blue eyes. She was also blind.  
  
He had been able to tell that much from the way that the young man with her (who didn't seem so young to Lorne) guided her through the place.  
  
"Excuse me. Someone told me that I should come and talk to you. They said you might be able to help me. I'm looking for someone. I've been told that he's a good friend of yours."  
  
"And who would that be, sweetie?"  
  
"Angel. Some call him Angelus. He's ..."  
  
"A vampire with a soul. Yeah, he's a good friend of mine. He hasn't been in lately. He's been kind of busy with a young lady."  
  
"Angel? With a young woman? Will the surprises never end?" She chuckled a bit. "The last I heard of Angel, he was too busy brooding to be involved with anyone. He was only really 'alive', for lack of a better term, when he was around me."  
  
"When was that, if you don't mind me asking?" Lorne was curious. He felt something different coming from her. It almost reminded her of the reading he had gotten from that young lady at the concert he had gone to just a few months ago. What was the name of that group? The Dark Troubadors. Now there was a lady with a voice to die for. She had made his heart break with her voice alone. Rare talent there.  
  
"Would you believe me if I told you that was 1917?" she chuckled.  
  
"For some odd reason, I would." Lorne thought that it would be interesting to talk to this young woman further.  
  
Just then the man beside her leaned in and whispered something in her ear. "We'll be back later. I need to find Angel but I don't want him to know I'm here until he sees me."  
  
"I won't tell him. I promise." He went to turn away and then stopped. "Will you tell me more later? You remind me of a young lady I saw in concert not too long ago. Her name was .... Desari." He saw the start go through the young woman at the other's name. Then, she smiled sadly and nodded.  
  
"I'll tell you some things. Others I just can't. It would be too dangerous. For you and for us." 


End file.
